Vietnam always includes the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in national strategies and programs that center on people, Vietnamese State President Truong Tan Sang told United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at their meeting in the U.S. on Thursday (local time).
The meeting was held on the occasion of his participation in the UN Summit in New York at the invitation of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
The Vietnamese leader shared with the UN Secretary-General the view that the UN Summit for the adoption of the Post-2015 Agenda on Friday (local time) is of great importance to the development of every country and the UN itself in the next 15 years. “Vietnam wholeheartedly supports the 2030 Agenda and pledges to do our level best to ensure its successful implementation,” the Vietnamese leader said.
“We will engage all ministries, sectors, localities, organizations and communities. And we will place the people at the center in this major endeavor.”
President Sang also told his host about the challenges facing Vietnam that has just become a middle-income country.
He asked the UN to continue supporting the Southeast Asian country in implementing the 2030 Agenda. Vietnam, as a responsible member of the international community, is committed to joining global efforts in dealing with climate change and paying more contributions to the UN peace-keeping activities, President Sang said.
Ban Ki-moon told the Vietnamese leader that he highly appreciated Vietnam’s participation in the building of the Post-2015 Agenda and the UN Summit’s agenda on ratifying the document.
He expressed his belief that Vietnam, one of the eight nations taking the lead in carrying out the “One UN” initiative and also standing out in the Millennium Development Goals realization, will successfully achieve the SDGs by 2030.
The UN chief also highly valued Vietnam’s assistance in strengthening the relationship between and the UN and ASEAN.
Regarding regional issues of mutual concern, President Truong Tan Sang praised the UN Secretary-General’s viewpoint and positive and objective comments on the East Vietnam Sea issue.
He asked the UN chief to further give support to the peaceful settlement of disputes based on international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Vietnam Sea (DOC), and to efforts to building a code of conduct (COC) in the sea area.
The UN leader reiterated that East Vietnam Sea disputes must be solved by peaceful measures on the basis of the 1982 UNCLOS and DOC.
During the UN Summit from September 25 to 28, President Sang will also meet with leaders of other countries and take part in a Vietnam – US business dialogue on the impacts the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement may have on the Vietnam – US trade as well as the Southeast Asian nation.
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